The Fire Fighters Charity and Hovertravel have teamed up to organise the first-ever Solent Santa Dash on 12 December.
Participants will be invited to dress as Father Christmas or simply wear something suitably seasonal as they run or stroll along the seafronts of Southsea and Ryde. This event is suitable for all abilities and takes runners firstly along the Esplanade in Southsea, then on to the hovercraft for a 10 minute flight to Ryde, where the second half of the dash is along the beaches of Ryde and Appley.
Neil Chapman, managing director of Hovertravel, said: “As long-time supporters of the fire services community we wanted to be actively involved in creating a unique Solent-spanning Santa Dash and so we donated a hovercraft to fly the participants to the Isle of Wight for the second half of their run. The Fire Fighters Charity is reliant on donations from the fire and rescue community and the general public to meet the cost of operating its centre and community-based services to support thousands members of the UK’s fire and rescue services and their dependants, as well as the retired fire services community, each year.”
The Fire Fighters Charity offers specialist, lifelong support for members of the UK fire services community, empowering individuals to achieve mental, physical and social wellbeing throughout their lives.
Fiona McMillan, Community, Corporate and Events Fundraiser at The Fire Fighters Charity, said: “We are really excited to welcome supporters from across the area for this unique and fun-filled Santa Dash. It is not everyday you see a bunch of Santas riding a hovercraft! We could not be more grateful to Hovertravel for such a generous donation.
“All funds raised on the day will go such a long way in helping us to ensure we continue to be there for the entire of the UK’s fire services community, when they need us the most. On behalf of everyone at The Fire Fighters Charity, I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who is taking part. We cannot wait to see your outfits!”
The Solent Santa Dash takes place on 12 December with the race starting at 10.30am with full details and tickets available at: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-solent-santa-dash-with-hovertravel-tickets-205198673757
